Hello, new student

Published 8:00 pm, Wednesday, August 20, 2003

Lined up in two parallel rows, students from all grade levels passed rolls of toilet paper down the lines. Each student would tear off as many sheets as they thought they needed  although they werent sure for what it would be used.

Best friends Rachel Westphal, 6, left, and Sara Jean, 6, play paper scissors rock during an icebreaker for Ambassadors at the Midland Academy of Advanced and Creative Studies Wednesday morning. The girls are part of a group of children selected to be ambassadors to new students this fall. Character education director Sandie Gantner had the children play icebreakers to teach them how to talk to new people.

Wednesday was an early roll call for some returning Midland Academy for Advanced and Creative Studies students.

Lined up in two parallel rows, students from all grade levels passed rolls of toilet paper down the lines. Each student would tear off as many sheets as they thought they needed  although they werent sure for what it would be used.

Some students took one square while others tore off strips of paper as tall as themselves. They were then asked to share with a partner as many things about themselves as the number of sheets of paper they chose.

"I learned that she has a sister," said MacKenzie Stankiewicz, who will enter the fifth grade at the academy. She and Libby Heater, who will enter the fourth grade, paired up for the exercise.

"I learned that MacKenzie has a golden retriever dog," Heater said.

The exercise was a way to practice icebreakers, eye contact and introductions as part of the academys ambassador program. The program trains students to serve as leaders and welcome new students.

Stankiewicz said shes been an ambassador before.

"Its fun and I like to meet new people at school," she said.

Heater said this will be her first year as an ambassador.

"Usually when we have new people, when they have an ambassador I ask if I can talk to them," she said. "I get to know them and make friends that way."

The two girls were part of a group of students who received training before classes begin Monday.

"We have 55 new students who will come in this year," said Sandie Gantner, character education director and marketing coordinator. "This is the fifth year weve done it. Its part of our character education program which promotes virtues such as leadership."

Gantner said when the new students come in shell see ambassadors using tips they learned during training.

Ben Isachoff entered the academy as a new student in the fifth grade and had an ambassador to help him along the way.

"Its kind of like having somebody you already know," the incoming eighth grader said.